Chapter 38

'Go.' I ordered my clones, and they all rushed him with their wood tantos in hand. I followed right behind them as they body flickered to him swinging their blades and narrowly missing his head. He jumped backward, his hands coming to the clone seal to produce two water clones.

He's already so damn powerful, why does he need clones?

Orochimaru's water clones went on the offensive and rushed towards us with kunai in hand. My clones and I jumped away in different directions, but the moment we landed the real snake sannin sent a ball of fire at one of my clones, burning it to ash.

His eyes locked onto mine, a confident smirk set comfortably on his features. He knew that I was the original.

I needed to change that. He couldn't afford to burn me like he did to the clone, he wanted me alive and if we wanted to have any hope of surviving with no issues, I would need to take advantage of every opportunity that was presented to me.

'Water Release: Hidden Mist Jutsu'

Mist formed around us, enveloping the area. My clones and I moved around, one of them moving to stand beside Anko.

*FWOSH*

The mist was quickly dispersed by a wind jutsu, his smirk ever present as he took a moment to eye each of my clones and myself.

"Delaying the inevitable? That's fine." The original Orochimaru chuckled.

"The only thing inevitable is your defeat." One of my clones sneered, launching towards the snake's water clones again. I shot forward towards the real Orochimaru, rearing back my wood tanto to take his head. He blocked the hit with his kunai, grabbed my shirt, and threw me flying into a tree.

My body crashed hard and the urge to cough up blood was too overwhelming for me to avoid. Anko didn't stay immobile, launching a bunch of snakes at Orochimaru which forced him to sidestep and send a few shuriken at her. She dodged the stars of metal and moved to close the distance between them, earning a hard backhand for her troubles. She went flying, skidding on the ground before regaining her balance and landing on her feet.

"Fascinating. You're quite durable." Orochimaru said to me before looking towards my clones who were getting cut in half by his water clones. He watched as they slowly turned into wooden logs, blossoming with flowers. "They are quite durable as well. Your weakness though is that they don't seem to bleed in the same way you do. It's quite noticeable."

My sneer deepened. That was always one of the wood clone jutsu's weaknesses. I could make it so they 'bled' but it wouldn't technically be real blood. Someone who is experienced in seeing blood like Orochimaru would be able to tell them apart with a scrutinous gaze.

I picked myself off the ground, wobbling to my feet and gripping my tanto.

"Why don't you stop this futile resistance and come with me willingly? Trust me, I won't treat you as badly as you believe." His smile reached his eyes as he licked his lips which sent shivers down my spine.

Yes, yes he absolutely would treat me as badly as I believe.

Orochimaru took the defiance in my eyes as my answer, slowly stepping over to me. Anko rushed forward once more, I followed her lead, running to meet Orochimaru head-on, he easily dodged the slash from Anko's kunai and jumped back several meters to avoid my attack.

His hands weaved in midair and as he landed he slammed his hands on the earth, spikes emerged from the ground, heading towards us.

Shit, 'Lighting Release: Elevated Spider Web' I slammed my hands on the ground, Anko mimicking my actions as we infused chakra into the web of lightning forming at our feet and rose to our full height. The earth spikes heading for us were shocked into dust.

"Gah!"

I split my attention between Orochimaru and the snake that the wood golem was wrestling with and grinned when I saw Ebisu rushing toward us. My wood golem bashed the snake's head over and over again, its body starting to grow limp.

"Took ya long enough, black eyes!" Anko grinned, her eyes still locked firmly on Orochimaru.

"...Never speak of this." He groaned, drawing his kunai. Even though he was standing a couple of meters from Anko and me, I could smell him and to say he smelled like shit would honestly be a compliment.

He smelled like horse shit dipped in cool ranch.

"GRAAAAAHHHH!" My wood golem roared in victory as it placed one foot on the dead snake's head, its arms raised.

"Quite interesting. Such a thing is surely nowhere near the level of Hashirama Senju's wood golem, but for it to take down a snake of that level, is impressive." Orochimaru clapped slowly.

"Yeah, I don't like you," I admitted. Everything about this dude pisses me off or creeps me out, or both.

"The feeling isn't mutual, I quite like you, Young Senju. Perhaps a day together would…break the ice?"

"Get in line, old man, he still owes me one of those!"

I almost face-palmed at the familiar voice, looking over to the entrance of the bridge to see Naruko standing there, two peace signs held up with both hands.

"You're…yes you're the brat who cages the fox." Orochimaru hummed in remembrance. Okay, so he didn't intend to kill Naruko with that first attack. Why the fuck did the sound five make such a stupid mistake!?

"And you're the boyfriend-stealing creepy old man!" She brought her hands together in the clone seal.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu." She'll never stop doing that, will she?

Fifty clones formed around Naruko, all wearing wide grins. The original locked eyes with me, giving me a brief smile, much warmer than the others before her eyes locked back onto Orochimaru. Then she charged along with her clones. Anko and Ebisu followed her lead. I planned on doing the same-

'Hey boss…'

I raised an eyebrow at my clone's voice in my head. He hadn't even come to join the fight this entire time.

'Talk to me.' I ordered.

'I captured the girl, Tayuya. She won't be going anywhere, need help?'

I raised an eyebrow. He should have finished up a while ago, what the hell took him so long?

'Send me your memories.'

—

Lei Clone

Tayuya wasn't much of a challenge. In all honesty, she was probably the second-easiest fight. Right behind Jirobo, the ugly bastard couldn't even fight.

So when I defeated her, I hadn't expected her to end up like…this.

"You son of a bitch! I'll bite your balls off you hear me!? You're fucking dead!"

I had bound her in the stock jutsu and was just staring at her as she shouted at me, cursing up a storm. I had intended to kill her, but if she plans on being so fucking talkative, I'm sure Ibiki would have a field day with her.

"You lost, suck it up and accept your fate, trash," I growled at her and it seems that was the wrong thing to say to her.

"You think you're fucking tough bud!? I've been killing kids my whole life, what's one more!? Let me out, I'll end this!"

Damn, she's a fucking yapper. My eyes scanned across her bound body and I resisted the urge to shut her up. My teenage mind was thinking crazy sexual thoughts, and I had to force myself to remember I had thr- four girlfriends. Plus putting her mouth to better use would likely leave me without a dick.

Or would it? Since I'm a clone…

Fuck it, doesn't concern me, I'll leave it to the boss.

—

Lei

I cringed at the info, vowing to deal with that…mess later.

My attention refocused on the fight, seeing Orochimaru handling Naruko's clones like clockwork. his infuriating smirk still in place, his eyes drifting over to meet mine. The amusement was clear, even at this distance and in that moment I silently vowed to get his ass back in blood.

"GRAH!" Yuto shouted, dropping its hand down, and Orochimaru jumped up to mount the golem's arm. Naruko and her remaining twenty or so clones followed him up the golem's arm and up to its head.

"Naruko, get back!" I shouted, my blonde girlfriend, listening to my words without a second of delay and hopping off the head. Orochimaru paused in the middle of the golem's head, Naruko's clones still rushing him.

'Do it.'

"GRAAAAHHH!" The wood golem slammed both hands onto his head, crushing the clones and Orochimaru. The golem's hand raised to reveal his broken and bloody body.

Naruko took a few light breaths before her mood lit up. "We did it, we beat a sannin."

The faces of Anko, Ebisu, and myself brought her out of her celebration. Her confused gaze wandered between the three of us.

That was easy…too easy.

I closed my eyes and sent out a burst of sensory chakra. Naruko picked up on what I was doing, her hand tightening around her kunai as she got back on guard.

I couldn't sense him.

I extended my senses, pushing them through the forest, into the air, and still sensed nothing.

Then realization lit across my face as I focused the chakra into the dirt.

"Jump now!" I ordered, grabbing Naruko and launching myself into the air, Ebisu and Anko quickly following.

*BOOM*

From the earth burst another giant snake that looked the same as the last one, and standing on top of it was Orochimaru. He looked noticeably…fresher.

"Sorry to disappoint, fox. I still breathe." Orochimaru taunted, the snake opened its mouth, letting out a nasty hiss.